Accountability

in
Public Service
ARLENE A. JARO and
JESSMAR NAPAO
 An obligation to answer for the
CCOUNTABILITY execution of one‘s assigned
responsibilities.

It is the requirement to provide explanation about the stewardship of

public money and how this money has been used.

it is the responsibility of a government and its agents to achieve previously set

objectives and to account for them in public

it is the commitment required from public officials- individually and

collectively- to accept public responsibility for their actions and inactions
it is the obligation of a subordinate to keep his or her superior informed of
the execution of responsibility. 
 HISTORY OF
PUBLIC
ACCOUNTABILI
TY
From Situational to New or Managerial
ANCIENT
Accountability
TIMES Accountability Often related to sanctions having
Takes effect involves: personal consequences aimed at
in grave righting wrong doings
situations (1)Control and
(2)Accountability
(disasters)
were visible
Recent practice
It departs from the idea changed it into..
NEW OR
that in essence, MANAGERIAL
everybody is Emphasizes on information
ACCOUNTING
accountable to exchange, explaining behavior
everybody and has to and performance, trust and
be able to explain their horizontal relations between
actions. the account holder and the
accountee.
Transition to Public Accountability
20th century
Accountability is all about:
1.) Responsibility and
Trustworthiness of official and
agencies.
2.) ways to minimize abuse of
power and authority
3.) Strategies to ensure that
those in authority comply to
acceptable standards and can
be sanctioned whenever
necessary. (Ayeni, 2004)
It is now the idea
behind PUBLIC
ACCOUNTABILI
TY
Public bodies are accountable to
the public for not wasting the
taxpayers money, for being
economical, efficient, achieving
the goals and being effective in
the long run
 PUBLIC
ACCOUNTABILITY
"Public Accountability pertains to the obligation of
persons or entities entrusted with public resources to
be answerable to the fiscal, managerial and program
responsibilities that have been conferred on the, and to
report to those that have conferred these
responsibilities."
Boncodin, 2007
(drawing on the International Organization
of Supreme Audit Institutions definition)
 WHY IS IT
IMPORTANT?
Public Accountability aims to ensure that public money
is spent with a minimum or irregularities and wastage

Such spending results is the maximization of

benefits with the minimization of costs

Khan and Chowdhur, 2008

 PUBLIC
ACCOUNTABILITY
 THEORIES
OF
PUBLIC
ACCOUNTABILI
Accountability
Theory
- focuses on the process of accountability

-explains how the perceived need to justify one’s behaviors to

another party causes one to consider and feel accountable for
the process by which decisions and judgments have been
reached.

In turn, this perceived need to account for a decision-making

process and outcome increases the likelihood that one will
think deeply and systematically about one’s procedural
behaviors.
 Types of
accountability
 Uses of(Vance, Lowry, and Eggett

Accountability
(2013)

As a
As a
Mecha
Virtue
nism
quality in which a person displays a a process in which a person has a potential
willingness to accept responsibility, a obligation to explain his or her actions to
desirable trait in public officials, another party who has the right to pass
government agencies, or firms; hence, in judgment on the actions as well as to
this use, accountability is a positive feature subject the person to potential
of an entity. consequences for his or her actions.
 ►FOUR CORE COMPONENTS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY THEORY◄

4
 ►FOUR CORE COMPONENTS OF ACCOUNTABILITY THEORY◄

IDENTIFIABILIT
1
Y
is a person’s “knowledge that his outputs could be
linked to him” and thus reveal his/her true identity
(Williams, Harkins and Latane 1981, p. 309)
 ►FOUR CORE COMPONENTS OF ACCOUNTABILITY THEORY◄

EXPECTATION OF
2
EVALUATION
is the belief that one’s “performance will be
assessed by another [party] according to some
normative ground rules and with some implied
consequences” (Lerner and Tetlock 1999, p. 255).
 ►FOUR CORE COMPONENTS OF ACCOUNTABILITY THEORY◄

AWARENESS OF
3
MONITORING
is a user’s state of active cognition that his/her
system-related work is monitored (Vance, Lowry,
and Eggett 2015).
 ►FOUR CORE COMPONENTS OF ACCOUNTABILITY THEORY◄

4 SOCIAL PRESENCE

is the awareness of other users in the system

(Vance, Lowry, and Eggett 2015).
ACCOUNTABILI
TY in public
service around
the world
Philippine
setting
of
public
 PH SETTING OF PUBLIC
ACCOUNTABILITY
The heart of good governance is all about public accountability

• “All public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the
people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and
efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.” (Art. XI of
the 1986 Constitution) Council for the Restoration of Filipino Values
• Such a code can become real only in hearts and minds committed to live up
to it.
•  “An Act Establishing a Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public
Officials and Employees” Approved on February 20, 1989 Council for the
Restoration of Filipino Values
Accountability In the Philippines Video
THANK YOU
 THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
ARTICLE XI: ACCOUNTABILITY OF PUBLIC OFFICERS
Section 1. Public office is a public trust. Public officers and
employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve
them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency;
act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.

Accountability In the Philippines Video

Transparency and Serving
How the
EncouragesPublic
greater communication and cooperation among
Transpa internal and external constituent groups
rency Provides a safeguard against undue influence and
Benefit corruption in decision making
s the Increases accountability for decisions
Commu
nity Enhances trust and confidence of the people in country as a whole
Transparency and Serving the
Public
Open Budgetary
meetings
ExamplReview
Compliance
Financial
with freedom es of Disclosure
of information
legislation
Transpa statements
rency Internal and
Proced External
ures Audits
 Instituti
Integr
onal It is important to consider facts and perceptions
surrounding these types of situations
ity
integrit
y
inspires
trust
and Compliance Conflicts of Conflicts of
confide interest and
commitment
nce
 Instituti
Responsi
onal
bility
integrit It is important to consider facts and perceptions
surrounding these types of situations
y
inspires
trust
and
confide and

nce